DVD Reviews: The League of Gentlemen the entire first series

"A word of warning... if you are not a local, steer clear of the Local Shop of Royston Vasey!"

The League of Gentlemen, an extremely black comedy that is based in the fictional isolated town of Royston Vasey finally arrives on DVD to the cheers of fans or for those seeking a darker side to their order of comedy. Easily one of the most ingenious comedy series of all time, The League of Gentlemen is played by three extremely talented actors (Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith) who play every major role in each episode. The characters themselves are extremely disturbing and appear to each have a mental illness not to mention that there appearances are quite grotesque.

The first episode (entitled "Welcome to Royston Vasey") introduces viewers to this bizarre English town when one of the towns former inhabitants, Benjamin Denton arrives home to meet a few of his friends for a hiking weekend. Dropped off at his uncle and aunts home by Babs the preoperative transsexual cab driver, his weekend soon turns into a strange experience that lets viewers know why he left this isolated town in the first place. Whether it's the twisted inbred sadomasochists urine infested local shop owners Edward and Tubbs Tattysrup, the Dentons and their toad collection or the lovely Babs, the transsexual cabby, there is a character for everyone in this strange series. The series plays like a horror sitcom and as the episodes progress, viewers are slowly introduced to more characters and the inner workings of Royston Vasey.

The DVD is also littered with extras that include an audio-commentary by the cast and how they developed these strange and wonderful characters from initial character development to early stage performances. Not to mention various character biographies, a photo gallery and 20 minutes of unseen material that include a plethora of outtakes.

The video quality of The League of Gentlemen Series 1 is flawless and contains a 16:9 aspect ratio that even though it is an extremely dark comedy, contains some exceptional picture quality and extremely sharp colours. The only downside is that there is occasional artefacting throughout the series but unfortunately this happens rarely.

The League of Gentlemen the entire first series contains Dolby Digital 2.0 and is extremely clear and audible. Add a beautifully created music score by composer John Talbot and you have a match made in comedy horror heaven. This comedy may not be for everyone but if you are looking for something different on your comedy menu, then The League of Gentlemen may very well be for you.

- Andrew B

Episode Listing

Episode 1
Welcome to Royston Vasey

Episode 2
The Road to Royston Vasey

Episode 3
Nightmare in Royston Vasey

Episode 4
The Beast of Royston Vasey

Episode 5
Love Comes to Royston Vasey

Episode 6
Escape from Royston Vasey